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Ursinus Seniors Earn Watson Fellowship

May 14, 2020

Tommy Armstrong ’20 and Garrett Bullock ’20 began their academic journey at Ursinus together as first-year roommates. And now, these graduating seniors are looking forward to embarking on their next expedition, this time solo, as 2020 recipients of the prestigious Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. The Watson Fellowship is a yearlong grant that allows recent graduates to explore the world abroad.

For twelve months of personal discovery and creative research, Armstrong will study comedy in various cities around the world and see how it intersects with personal hardship. Through his research, he plans to examine the unique cultural impact of comedy in various cities, predominantly those that have high rates of depression or, conversely, particularly high qualities of living.

Separately and inspired by his own personal experiences, Bullock will engage and immerse himself in various international drumming traditions. Through his research, he plans to further comprehend the complex relationship between music, education, identity and cultural values. Bullock ultimately hopes to explore why these values are taught, as well as how performance and musicality are shaped by and reflect these values.